3rd Chapter!!!! YAY!!! I do love updating this! Well, you know the drill; I don't own Digimon and REVIEW!!!!!

Digimon: Almost

Chapter 3: Operation Tofu

So how does one live without a heart? It seems impossible and unbearable. But if your heart is taken from you, then you have no choice, and you live with it. Izzy had no choice. He was living with what he was handed, even though it wasn't a fair hand. He couldn't think of one thing he could've done differently. He was intelligent, but he couldn't quite grasp what he should've done. He never once thought about confronting Mimi after they left the Digital World. Something he should've done. He wasn't dealing well with what happened to him either. He stopped talking to people. He gave up on mankind. He just couldn't deal with others. All of his friends didn't help him. Tai was the one who had caused most of his pain. Why would he go to him? Izzy wasn't mad at Tai or anything, but he'd rather not be around him. Mimi was out of the question, Sora seemed to her own problems and Matt was too happy. He only ever talked about Sora and him and that wasn't something Izzy needed to hear right now. He didn't enjoy others love because it made him think of his own and how he couldn't have her. That left Joe, but they were never close and Joe was always busy. TK and Kari weren't old enough to understand his problems and plus it seemed that they too would have a love in their little lives soon. So that left no one.

Tai's problem was even worse. You see, his heart hadn't been taken from him. He had taken it out himself. And the temptation to have it back was always right under his nose. If he was to just talk to Sora, his heart would return. But he chose to throw it away, for her. He knew that the best way for her to be happy, was to forget about Tai. If she had remained close to him, she'd only see his sadness and feel bad for him. She'd also be sad that she caused the sadness. So he lived in an empty, trance-like state most of the time. He didn't ever think to bother others with his problems. Mimi was a good girlfriend, and he knew that he should break up with her since the only reason he dated her was to get back at Sora, but he liked her company, even if it was just over the phone. Although he'd never see her in a romantic way, he'd always see her as a good friend. And he didn't want to lose the only friend he had left. Matt, Sora, and Izzy had been his only other good friends, and now he lost Matt and Sora and Izzy never wanted to talk to him anymore. It was the weirdest thing.

Mimi was alone too. She lived in America now, and she had new friends, but she missed her old ones. But most of all, she missed Izzy. She realized that she was most likely in love with him and she didn't know what to do. She wanted to break up with Tai, but for now, all their relationship was, was a good friendship. So until he started getting the wrong idea, she didn't see a need to. It wasn't like she even lived in Japan so it didn't matter. She cried herself to sleep every night and moped around all day long. She wasn't in a good state. Her parents just thought it was because she missed Japan and that's what she told them it was. But it was much more than that. In school she pretended to be happy and made sure no one could tell that she was dying on the inside. She just wondered when she'd see Izzy again. Until that day, she swore to never stop loving him. No matter what.

Sora wasn't any better than the rest of the participants in this large love triangle. She was with Matt and all she wanted was Tai. Matt was starting too really like her and it only upset her more. She was ready to pull her hair out. She wanted to be with Tai more than anything in life and he didn't want to talk to her anymore. He refused to pick up the phone. And whenever she tried to talk to him in school, he'd just run away when he saw her coming towards him, so she stopped trying. She felt depressed and things weren't getting any better. Matt was starting to pressure her into doing things with him that she didn't want to do. She told him that she wasn't ready for that and that she wouldn't be ready for that for a long time and he just nodded and never tried anything again.

*Three Years Later*

Things with the DigiDestined weren't good. They hadn't been for the past few years. Joe wasn't blind to everyone's misery. He could see that everyone was having a hard time as the years were going on. Their group was falling apart. TK and Kari were older now and they were even part of a new group of DigiDestined. He had helped them out one time when Gomamon had been in trouble. He had also helped Cody, one of the new DigiDestined, save the others when he found the DigiEgg of Reliability. He decided that something needed to be done about the old Digidestined, and he'd need the help of the new DigiDestined to do it. He called up TK and told him that they all needed to meet. TK didn't know what it was about, but Kari, who was with him at the time, knew. She had seen how her brother had been acting the past three years and knew that something needed to be done.

He told them to meet at a park near his apartment. It'd be easier for him to get there. He got there late and ran to the park where he already saw Kari, TK, Davis, Cody, Ken and Yolei. "Hey guys. Sorry I'm late." Joe told them all, out of breath.

Yolei smiled. "It's ok Joe. What's up? Why did you need our help?" she asked. Joe just frowned and sat on a bench.

"It's about the old DigiDestined…" was all he said and the rest of the kids understood.

"Something really needs to be done." Ken said and stood up. "I've noticed the way they act with each other. I just thought they've always been like that."

Joe shook his head. "No. They were never like that. We used to all be really close. As close, if not closer, than you guys are now."

Ken looked up in shook. "Really?? I know that I haven't been a part of the team that long, but the way this team works together still amazes me. If you're saying that you guys were even closer…" he trailed off.

TK stood up. "The team was a lot different than this one. We go to the Digital World when we want and we're all friends but…the eight of us were stuck in the Digital World. We all saw each other's true colors and became extremely close. We looked out for each other and worked together for everything. We were so close that a lot of fights even broke out, but it's those fights, and the way they were resolved, that we all grew even closer. It's hard to explain the bond that the eight of us shared." He explained.

Davis looked a little red when TK explained his bond to Kari but soon forgot about it when he looked over at Joe. "Wait, so what happened? And what can we do to help?" he asked.

Joe sighed. "That's the problem. I don't know what happened. We need to find out. But it has to do with Tai, Sora, Mimi, and Izzy. I don't think Matt has any harsh or sad feelings about anyone. What do you think TK?"

TK shook his head. "I don't think so. He doesn't seem to have any problems. He's happy about his band and being with Sora. Nothing bothering him that I know of." He told Joe.

Joe nodded. "Ok, then we need to find out what's wrong with Tai, Sora, Mimi, and Izzy. I think we should spit up into groups that think they can get the closest to these people."

"I want to find out what's wrong with Tai." Kari said quickly, determined.

Joe shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. If he hasn't told you what's wrong yet, then he won't. I think Davis and Cody should find out what's wrong with Tai."

"Why?" Kari asked, a little pissed.

"Because, Davis is a lot like Tai and Cody is more understanding. So Cody could figure out what's wrong while Davis can understand it. Plus he'd be more likely to tell Davis anyway." He explained and Kari crossed her arms but didn't say anything, knowing Joe was right. "Besides, I think you and TK should find out what's wrong with Sora." He told her.

Davis jumped up. "Why!? Kari can help me! Cody can go with TS!" he yelled.

"It's TK." TK mumbled and then Joe began to explain. "Davis, Sora is more likely to talk if another girl is there. Plus TK and Kari both looked up to Sora as a motherly figure back in the Digital World. Sora is the suffer-in-silence type, and it's going to take someone that she has a really good bond with to make her open up." He explained.

Davis just crossed his arms like Kari had done before and sat back down, clearly defeated. Yolei and Ken looked at each other and then at Joe. "What about us?" Yolei asked.

"Well, I think I should talk to Izzy. He's the hardest person to get through and I think that if someone he didn't know as well came with me, then he'd keep quiet. I think you two should talk to Mimi. I know you and Mimi are alike Yolei and Ken; you need to be there so that you can be the brains behind Yolei. No offense Yolei but you're more of the rush in without thinking type and Ken tends to plan more." He told her and laughed when she got the same look on her face as Kari and Davis had. It seemed like every group had one unhappy person. But it was the only way this was going to work. If the groups switched up, they might not get to the bottom of things.

TK looked at Joe after a moment. "Ok, so we have our groups but how are we going to get to the bottom of this? I mean, we can't just walk in and say, hey what's wrong? We're not therapists or anything. How are we going to find out what's wrong?" He asked.

Joe smiled. "Well, I had an idea about that. I figured that the problem must be with someone else in the group. So we can just ask about the other old team members and see their reaction. It wouldn't be easy to hide something so big that it's ripping the group apart. That would be hard to cover up." He explained.

Kari smiled. "Oh I see. So we'll just ask things like, 'so, have you talked to Tai lately?' Stuff like that, right?"

"Exactly!" Joe exclaimed.

Cody spoke up for the first time that night. "I have an idea." He told them, looking down at Upamon. Everyone looked over at him to listen to what he had to say. "We should get their Digimon Partners to come with us." He said and Joe smiled.

"That's a great idea! They'll open up if their partners are there! That's for sure!" He said.

TK laughed. "And I'm sure you'd love to see Gomamon too." He chuckled.

"Well, maybe, but still, Agumon, Biyomon, Tentomon, and Palmon can help us a lot."

The Digimon, who had been pretty quiet throughout the whole meeting, spoke up. "What about Gabumon?" Patamon asked. "I mean, we can't just leave him if everyone else is coming home. And what do we tell Matt when we bring Gabumon here?" he asked.

Gatomon looked up at the others and yawned. "It's very simple. All we have to do is tell them that they're here for Christmas. Isn't that holiday coming soon?" she asked and Kari smiled.

"That's a great idea! It's a nice present too!" she exclaimed and laughed. "Plus it'll give us a reason to go visit them. We can say that we came over to specially deliver their "presents"." She laughed.

Joe smiled. "That's a great idea. I knew you guys could help me!" He sighed. "I just miss how it was in the old days."

TK and Kari sighed too. "Me too." They both said at the same time.

Davis put DemiVeemon on his head and stood up. "Alright then! Let's make it like the old times!!" he exclaimed. Then he put a thoughtful look on his face and turned towards the others. "So what are we going to call this?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Ken asked.

Davis sighed. "Every cool secret spy-like mission has to have an awesome code name!" he exclaimed. Everyone just looked at Davis and chuckled. He wasn't a very serious person for long.

DemiVeemon jumped up and down on Davis's head. "Oh boy, oh boy! I hope your house has lots of snacks Kari!!!" he yelled, thinking about all the chocolate he was capable of consuming.

Kari laughed at the cute little Digimon. "Sorry DemiVeemon, my mom tries to stay healthy so the tastiest thing in my house is tofu." She told him.

Davis jumped up, knocking DemiVeemon off his head. "That's it! Operation Tofu!" DemiVeemon jumped back on Davis's head. "Yeah! Operation Tofu!" he yelled.

The others laughed and then they all shrugged, yelling "Operation Tofu!" into the late night air.

Everyone got a job. Ken and Yolei had to find a way to make Mimi fly out to Japan. Yolei begged her to come shopping with her, telling her that she needed something to wear to a Christmas party and that Mimi was the only person she knew that could help her. Mimi, not being able to turn that down, agreed to come. Joe broke his computer on purpose and then called Izzy up, telling him that he needed to come over and fix his computer on Christmas because it was the only day he was home. He told him he needed to write a term paper and if he didn't write it, he'd fail that class. Davis and Cody didn't really have a job but they did need to make sure everything was kept a secret. TK and Kari were in charge of going to the Digital World to get the other Digimon and tell them what was going on with the older DigiDestined. They also had to inform them about Operation Tofu. Kari went over to TK's house to get him so they could go to the Digital World together that Saturday.

"Hello Kari!" TK's mom answered the door.

"Hello. Is TK here?" she asked.

TK's mom had a big smile on her face as she looked at Kari and nodded. "Yes, he's here. Why don't you come inside? He's taking a shower but he should be almost done." She told her. Kari smiled and walked into the apartment. She walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "Is there anything I can get you?" Ms. Takaishi asked.

"No thank you. I'm fine." Kari told her with a warm smile. Ms. Takaishi smiled and sat down at the table with Kari. Ms. Takaishi had an almost too friendly smile on and Kari was a little nervous about what she was going to say to her.

"So Kari, you and TK have been pretty good friends for awhile, right?" she asked. Kari nodded slowly. "So…have you ever thought that maybe you like him more than a friend?" she asked and Kari nearly feel over in shock at what Ms. Takaishi was asking her.

"Uhh." Was all she could get out and Ms. Takaishi looked over at her. "You can tell me. I won't tell him." She told Kari and just then Kari heard the bathroom door open and sighed in relief. Saved by TK. She looked over to the hallway that TK would be walking out of. TK walked in the room with nothing but a towel on and Kari felt her face heat up.

"Hey mom, have you seen my hat? I've been-" he was cut off when he saw who else was sitting in his kitchen. Kari watched as his face turned bright red and he walked out of the room saying, "Never mind."

Ms. Takaishi was laughing during the whole thing. When TK left the room she just stood up and looked at Kari. "I guess that answers my question." She said before walking out of the room into her study. Kari tried to say something about her comment but nothing came out of her open mouth. TK came into the room, this time with clothes on, before she could close her gaping mouth. She looked up at him and smiled. "Uh, you ready to go now?" she asked and he nodded slowly.

They got outside and he looked at her. "So what computer do you want to use?"

She thought for a moment and then looked at him. "We can use the school's computer. It always seems like the easiest place to go." He nodded.

They walked to the school in silence, still recuperating from the extremely awkward moment at TK's. They got there and went into the computer lab. TK looked at Kari and smiled, waving his hand towards the computer. "Do the honors." Kari smiled and pointed her D3 at the screen. In a matter of moments, they were in the Digital World. Gatomon and Patamon had gone back to the Digital World a few nights before, along with the other DigiDestined's Partners so that they could round up Agumon, Gabumon, Tentomon, Palmon, and Biyomon.

Kari looked over at TK and frowned. "Where are they? Didn't we tell them to meet us here?" she asked.

"This was the place." TK told her. Suddenly something hit TK in the face and he fell to the ground. Kari looked at him worriedly but then laughed when she saw Patamon holding on to TK's face. "TK!" Patamon exclaimed and TK started laughing too. "Jeez, you couldn't have just walked out here?" He told him and Patamon started laughing with him.

Gatomon ran out of the woods next and Kari held out her arms for her. "Gatomon!" she exclaimed as her small cat-like Digimon jumped into her arms. "Kari! We found them. Me and Patamon just started to run a little faster than them once we heard you and TK's voices." She told Kari and Kari laughed. "I've missed you too! And it's only been a few days!" Gatomon and laughed and hugged Kari.

The others ran out then and surrounded Kari and TK. Hawkmon was the first to talk though. "I believe you and TK should tell them what's going on now." TK and Kari nodded.

Kari sat down on the ground and TK soon followed. This was going to take awhile. They explained to them everything they talked about the other night, telling all the details of Operation Tofu. They all took a guess at who named it and Veemon just laughed when they guessed right. When they finished explaining the others Digimon looked worried about their partners. They wanted to get to their partners as fast as possible but Kari explained to them that they had to wait until Christmas and they all agreed reluctantly. They went back to Tokyo and they had to figure out who would take the Digimon until Christmas, which was only three days away. Christmas Eve was tomorrow. TK agreed that he needed to take Biyomon because if Tai saw Biyomon he'd get suspicious. They decided they'd drop off Agumon at Davis's since he could probably hide him better then Cody who would be busy with Kendo Practice. Tentomon would go home with Gomamon to Joe's and Palmon would go to Yolei's since Mimi would be staying there anyway. Gabumon would go home with TK also and he'd just give him to Matt when he came over for Christmas Eve to visit TK and his mother, which was something he began doing since they left the Digital World. Something must have clicked in Matt's mind about his mother once there because he visited all the time now.

With all the planning out of the way, they went around and dropped off the Digimon at everyone's houses. And TK brought home Biyomon, Gabumon and Patamon that night.

The next morning TK woke up to three Digimon sitting on top of him. Gabumon was yelling in TK's ear and TK jumped up and fell out of his bed. He looked up at Gabumon and rubbed his eyes. "What? What was that for?" he asked. He hadn't really understood whatever Gabumon had been yelling in his ear.

Gabumon smiled and looked at TK on the floor. "I told you to wake up and I asked when Matt was coming over." He told TK. TK rubbed his back where he had hit it when he fell on the floor. "Uh, I don't know, 2:00?" he told him. They all looked over at the clock. It was 11:00 am. "Wow, you sleep late." Biyomon commented and Patamon laughed. "He always does on weekends." They all laughed and TK stood up.

"I'm going to go get something to eat. Patamon can come since my mom knows about him but you two should stay in here. We'll bring you guys back some food." He told them and then he opened his door and closed it before walking into the kitchen. His mom was sitting at the table reading the paper. "Morning mom." He told her and she looked up at him and smiled. "Good morning. And good morning Patamon." She said with a smile before going back to her paper. TK sat down with a bowl of cereal and Patamon grabbed some fruit. They ate quickly and then he stood up. "I'm going to go get ready. I need to take a shower. And this time if someone comes, I don't care who, but if someone comes while I'm in there, would you mind telling me?" He told her and she began to laugh. "Ok TK. Don't worry, I'll warn you this time." She told him and he left the room with Patamon and a bowl of fruit. He walked into his bedroom and saw Biyomon and Gabumon sitting on his bed. He handed them the fruit and smiled. "There you go. Now I'm gonna go take a shower, but one more thing. Matt can't see you Biyomon."

Biyomon had just stuffed an apple into her mouth so she chewed quickly and then looked at TK. "Why?" she asked.

"Because we don't want Matt to know about Operation Tofu since it doesn't seem like he has any problems with anyone else and he might want to help us but if someone else has a problem with him, then we won't be able to find that out with him there. We want to fix the problem, not make it worse." He told her and she nodded.

"Ok, but what if he comes in the room?" she asked.

"Hide in my closet. I don't know, get creative." He told her and then walked off into the bathroom. He took a quick shower and then walked right into his room when he was done this time. He got his clothes and brought them in the bathroom where he got dressed quickly. He walked into the kitchen with the empty bowl that once held a lot in fruit. He put that in the sink and then the door bell rang. He walked to the door and saw Matt's face as he opened it. "Matt!" he exclaimed. And Matt hugged him. "Merry Christmas bro. Where's mom?" he asked and their mom ran into the room. "Hi Matt!" she said and quickly gave him a kiss. "Come in!" she pulled him inside and they all walked into the living room. "I'm really sorry but I need to finish a paper for work, but I'll be done in an hour or so. You and TK can hang out while I work." She told them with a smile.

Matt nodded in understanding and smiled at TK. "Where's Patamon?" he asked, looking at TK's head, where Patamon usually was.

"He's in my room. Wait right here a minute. I have a surprise for you. It's for Christmas." He told him and then ran to his bedroom. Patamon jumped on TK's head when he walked in the room and he grabbed Gabumon's hand. "Come on. Matt's here." He told him and he ran out of the room ahead of TK. TK laughed and ran after him. They both ran into the living room and Gabumon jumped into Matt's arms. Matt was laughing the moment he saw Gabumon and then began hugging him back.

"TK! This is the best Christmas present ever! Thank you!" he exclaimed and let go of Gabumon to hug TK.

TK smiled at him and hugged him back. "Merry Christmas bro."

***

That chapter turned out longer than I thought it would. They keep getting longer! Oh well, I guess that's a good thing. Once I start typing it's like I can't stop!

Well, I hope you like it so far!!!! I'm trying really hard to make this as good as possible!! I enjoyed writing this so much that I might be able to update this tomorrow. No promises but it's looking good so far. Well, be sure to review!